


melatonin mornings

by derryology



Category: IT (2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 22:40:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14342472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derryology/pseuds/derryology
Summary: — in which Nicole Tozier finally reunites with her brother, Richie, and gets more than she bargained for with her new town.





	melatonin mornings

“Come on, Rich!” The small boy in my company, who has introduced himself to me as Eddie Kaspbrak, hollers in the direction of the dusty staircase in my new home. “Let’s fucking go!”

Incoherent mumbles drift down from behind the first door at the top of the stairs, followed by the door swinging open and a lanky boy bouncing out of the room and down the stairs, his deep brown curls bouncing with every step.

“Eds! I need my time. Do you think looking this gorgeous happens in minutes?” Richie sings to Eddie as he flies around the banister and disappears into the kitchen.

“No, I think it takes at least twenty minutes, because that’s how fucking long we’ve been waiting for you!” Eddie snaps back. He seems annoyed, but something tells me he could never really be mad at Richie.

“Nic doesn’t mind. Nic would wait here all day for me. Nic has waited months to see me! Oh, how my sister loves me so.” Richie replies, reappearing with an armful of various candy packages. He dumps them into Eddie’s arms, who proceeds to slide them into the open backpack resting on the floor. “Don’t you, Nic?” He turns to me.

I smile at him. A toothy, genuine smile. My brother and I were separated for far too long. He returns the smile, and before I know it, I’m engulfed in a bear hug. A Richie hug. Oh, how I missed these.

“Next time you take so long getting ready, take, perhaps, smelling better into consideration. It’d be a better use of your time.” My speech is muffled by the denim jacket hanging loosely off his shoulders.

“Ouch. That hurt.” He replies, releasing me. Smiles still take place on both of our faces. 

“Let’s get going.” Eddie speaks up, a smile on his face as well as he gazes at Richie.

“Let’s get going, indeed! Sister Nicole, Eddie spaghetti,” the front door creaks as Richie opens it, gesturing for us to exit. “Ladies first.”

I can feel Eddie’s eyes roll through the back of his head as he grabs the backpack and leaves through the door Richie has opened. I follow him, pressing my pointer finger to Richie’s nose as I pass him. He scrunches his face and scowls.

“I hate you.”

“You wish you could.”

-

Richie and I still have matching bikes. His green with complimenting yellow tires, mine’s colours vice versa. Maggie and Wentworth had bought them for us about two months before getting busted by child protective services. I wish I missed them, but they weren’t stable enough parents to even call Mom or Dad.

I come to the conclusion that Eddie is easy to talk to. We make small talk and crack jokes back and forth during the short bike ride to the house of one of Richie and Eddie’s friends. I think his name is Ben, but I can’t remember for sure.

I hope all Richie’s friends like me as much as Eddie seems to.

I pray no trouble will follow me to this town. 

Richie, leading our small group, swerves into a driveway and skids to a halt, scraping his feet on the ground to brake. Eddie and I follow suit. We all ditch our bikes on the front lawn, which is already home to an array of different coloured bikes. Another bike is propped up on the front porch, leaning against the house. That one must be Ben’s.

I count the bikes as Richie and Eddie approach the front door. Eight in total. That means the gangs all here.

I expect the boys to knock, but they twist the front door open and let themselves in. Eddie holds the door open for me as Richie takes off his shoes, placing them on the mat just beside the front door. I enter and do the same.

Chatter and laughter drift down from the upstairs, accompanied by the faint sound of a radio. Africa is playing.

“I love this song.” Eddie comments absentmindedly.

“Me too.” Richie and I both speak in unison. We grin at each other.

“Jinx! You owe me a soda.” Richie coos at me as he begins to climb the stairs.

“Sorry, no money. Could I replace it with a punch in the face instead? Or perhaps you’d prefer a pinch. Either will do.”

Richie laughs at my comment as he reaches the last door of the hallway. He takes my hand in his and squeezes it once, before letting go and pushing the door open.

The chatter in the room dies down abruptly as the attention of five pairs of eyes are drawn to me. There is a few seconds of silence as they seem to take in the sight of me. I think the radio is still playing, but the silence is louder than the music.

“Lady and gentlemen, I introduce you to the fantastic, amazing, show stopping, award winning, star quality, all-knowing, Nicole Tozier!” Richie announces to the group in a booming, cheesy voice, gesturing to me with one hand and holding the other near his mouth as a faux microphone.

I quickly scan everyone in the room as they begin to applaud Richie’s introduction. I smile at them, and six faces smile back. Eddie, who has now joined the others on the floor, sits beside a girl with striking red hair and a dimpled smile. She must have been the singular ‘lady’ Richie was referring to. She is the first member of the group to speak up.

“Hello!” She says cheerily. “I’m Bev.”

“I’m Ben. It’s great to finally meet you.” Says the boy with round cheeks and a heartwarming smile sitting on the other side of Bev. 

“I’m Mike.” A buff boy with glowing skin and impeccably white teeth.

“Stan.” A boy with a mop of curly brown hair and a slim face. He smiles with a closed mouth, but it still seems genuine. He sits perched on the only chair in the room, turned away from the desk it is meant for.

“And I’m Bill. W-welcome to the loser’s c-club.” Says the last boy with deep blue eyes. “Come s-s-sit down.”

Eddie slides closer to Bill on the floor, creating a circle and opening up a space for me and Richie. Richie flops down directly beside Eddie, leaving me to sit between him and Bev. Her smile widens as I sit. I hope she never stops smiling. I love her smile.

“So, all-knowing Nicole Tozier,” Mike says, sitting opposite me. “What brings you to Derry?”


End file.
